Apparatus for the operation of toy musical instruments

ABSTRACT

A toy for the reproduction of diverse musical fragments thanks to the suitable placement of striker tabs over a generally cylindrical surface, on which the striker tabs necessary for the reproduction of the chosen musical fragment acquire a fixed operation position on said cylindrical surface by placing them at the points of intersection of two line systems on said surface, while the rest of the striker tabs of the toy are in an operative position. The regular movement of the cylindrical surface by manual or electric means causes the operative striker tabs to operate some acoustical means simultaneously or in order, either directly or through percussion hammers with the result of said operation being the reproduction of the chosen musical fragment.

United States Patent Congost Horta APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF TOY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS [4 1 Mar. 28, 1972 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & N issen [57] ABSTRACT A toy for the reproduction of diverse musical fragments thanks to the suitable placement of striker tabs over a generally cylindrical surface, on which the striker tabs necessary for the reproduction of the chosen musical fragment acquire a fixed operation position on said cylindrical surface by placing them at the points of intersection of two line systems on said surface, while the rest of the striker tabs of the toy are in an operative position. The regular movement of the cylindrical surface by manual or electric means causes the operative striker tabs to operate some acoustical means simultaneously or in order, either directly or through percussion hammers with the result of said operation being the reproduction of the chosen musical fragment.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR THE OPERATION OF TOY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS The present invention relates to an apparatus for operating toy musical instruments, designed to achieve the performance of musical fragments by way of percussion and/or vibration effects.

Apparatus responding to the above description with a rotary cylinder fitted with pegs or similar members which, directly or through some other mechanism, act upon sound devices, such as slats, strings, tongues or others of similar nature, are known.

In certain cases, as occurs with music boxes, the above pegs are fixed, whereby it is not feasible to change their position at will in order to vary the musical composition. In other cases, said pegs are removable to allow for a change of position, although then they are easily lost or, in the case of toys, may be put into childrens mouths, with the consequential risk that this implies. On the other hand, means must be provided to prevent the cylinder from turning backwards, in order not to damage the operating mechanisms for the musical part the making the toy, which entails many complications in the making of the apparatus, or running the risk of damaging it if the above precaution is omitted.

The foregoing considerations and others of doubtless practical interest, to be stated hereinafter, have given rise to the creation of the new apparatus which is characterised by comprising a plurality of mutually parallel guides which intersect with a series of reference lines, in such a way that at least one striker tab is capable of being placed on each guide in register with any of the said reference lines, the position of each striker tab being stationary and in direct or indirect relationship with an acoustic emission member, with the result that the seried movement of said guides determines. the successive operation of the acoustic members by means of the pertinent striker tabs, in order to obtain the performance of a musical composition fragment. The plurality of guides and the series of reference lines are preferably disposed on a cylindrical surface.

In certain cases, the striker tab guides comprise means disposed outwardly of the cylindrical support surface. In other cases, these guides are in recesses relative to the cylindrical surface. According to one embodiment, the guides in question correspond to generating-lines of the cylindrical surface, while the reference lines are transversal to said generating lines. According to a further embodiment, the striker tab guides correspond to lines of a diverse nature, such as helical, sinusoidal and other lines.

According to one embodiment, the striker tab guides are circular section rods, mounted around a cylindrical roller and held at both ends by the side covers of the roller.

The reference lines comprise peripheral reliefs or lines on the cylindrical surface, spaced at uniform distances and indicating the correct position of the striker tabs relative to the acoustical members of the apparatus.

The striker tabs are associated with the respective guides by way of means which provide them with a one way operational position. In order to avoid incorrect relationships of the striker tabs with the acoustical members, the former are capable of cancellation, when the roller is turned in the reverse direction, by tilting and, consequently, being put out of service when contacting said members.

According to one practical embodiment of the striker tabs, these comprise a member having generally the shape of a rightangled triangle, in which the portion corresponding to the longer leg of the rightangle is the one which enters into relationship with the acoustical members, while the portion corresponding to the shorter leg of the rightangle is a support means to hold the tab steady in the operative position, there being arranged at the rounded rightangular corner the orifice for frictional fitting on the corresponding axial guide, said orifice having longitudinal ribs which are applied directly to the guide for said purpose.

The relationship between striker tabs and acoustical members, for indirect transmission of the roller rotation, is accomplished through hammers mounted like levers having an intermediate support, which receive the impulse of the striker tabs through one arm and transmit the percussion to the pertinent acoustical member through the other arm.

The percussion hammers comprise a member moulded in the form of a lever with longitudinal reinforcement ribs and a transverse cylindrical bushing for the free passage of a support shaft, the rear arm having an edge suitable for contact with the striker tabs and the front am having a hemispherical cap with internal diametral pin, as percussion means, or for the fitting of a further hemisphere acting as said means.

According to a further embodiment, the relationship between the striker tabs and the acoustical members is direct, so that said tabs enter in contact with said members, said members comprising vibrating, preferably metallic, tongues.

The transmission of the driving movement to the rotary roller takes place through a reduction relationship between the drive source and said roller, so that the latter-shall turn more slowly than said source.

The said transmission of the driving movement is achieved through a resilient pulley mounted on the driving shaft and in tangential frictional contact with a lateral flange forming part of the roller. According to a further embodiment said relationship is achieved through gear means mounted on the driving shaft and on the roller respectively. In yet a further embodiment, provision is made for the transmission through an endless chain which associates toothed members mounted on the driving shaft and on the roller.

In one case the apparatus is actuated through a crank fitted on the driving shaft. In other cases, the apparatus is driven through a miniature electric motor coupled to the driving shaft.

According to one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a roller composed of a hollow cylinder, the ends of which are closed by sliding fit covers having a widened periphery to form the flange having frictional contact with the drive source through a resilient pulley connected to the driving shaft, said flanges extending beyond the cylinder surface and having an annular groove on their inner faces for the insertion of the rods forming the striker tab guides, the covers having shafts which are freely rotatable in a rectangular chassis formed by two side members and cross members, on which side members there also rests a support plate for the acoustical members formed by grooved metal strips of varying lengths, as well as the shaft supporting the hammers which transmit the roller movement.

Further aims and features of the invention will be disclosed in the following description, with reference to the attached illustrative drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified view of the rotary, striker tab bearing roller arrangement, for operation of the acoustical members.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the indirect relationship between roller and acoustical members, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a similar view to the previous figure showing the direct relationship between roller and acoustical members, according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a roller showing a striker tab in its two positions, operative and inoperative.

FIG. 5 is a similar view to the previous figure, relating to a variation of the striker tab embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an upper plan view of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line VIIVII of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line VIII-VIH of FIG. 6.

tabs 2. The possibility of the guides 3 not being axially disposed is not excluded, but they may be disposed in helical, sinusoidal or other forms and the reference lines 4 may also have different orientations.

in any case, the intersections between guides 3 and reference lines 4 indicate the operative positioning points for the striker tabs 2. On the guides 3, the points between lines 4 relate to incorrect positions or to intermediate neutral zones.

A roller 1 comprises a cylindrical surface, corresponding to a hollow body 5 having side covers 6. The guides 3 are disposed uniformly around the body 5, and are formed by cylindrical section metal rods, the ends of which are housed in notches 7 in the inner face of the covers 6.

The reference lines 4 may be simple grooves, dashes or bands marked on the surface 8 of the roller 1; said lines 4 may have different colours as means of identification, or other equivalent fonns, such as numbers, party figures or cartoons, etc.

The striker tabs 2 comprise flat pieces of a generally rightangled triangular shape, having a bushing 9 close to the rightangle for fitting on the guides 3; the hole of bushing 9 having knurlings 10 to provide a friction fit on said rods. These striker tabs may be rotated and moved freely on the rods 3 and have a longer side 1 l which is the leading, operative edge of a shorter side 12 resting on the surface 8 of the roller 1 in the operative position and separable from same in the inoperative positions.

The covers 6 of the roller 1 have an annular rib 13 on the inner face, around which the body 5 of the roller is held as a friction fit. A central orifice 14 allows for the introduction of a shaft 15.

In one variation of the embodiment, the cylindrical body 5 of the roller 1 has axial slots of circular cross section on its outer face, in which striker tabs 2A comprised of a circular core 21 slidingly fittable in a slot whilst remaining free to turn and move, having a finger 22 as operative element relative to the musical part.

A transmission means is situated between the roller 1 and said musical part, consisting of hammers 23 having a flat portion 24 with an upper reinforcement rib 25, a transverse bushing 26, a hollow hemispherical percussion member 27 at the front end, said percussion member being fitted with a diametral pin 28, and a rear lower boss 29. The rear marginal portion 30 of the flat portion 24 cooperates with the striker tabs 2 to operate the hammers 23. A further hemispherical member to complete the aforementioned member 27 may be applied as a sliding fit on pin 28 to form a combined spherical percussion member. At the same time a shaft 31 holds the hammers 23 by their bushings 26.

The musical part comprises acoustical members formed by grooved metal strips 33 of varying length, forming a sort of Xylophone. Said strips 33, placed in order according to their length, are mounted by means of fine nails 34 on a support plate 35; said plate 35 having also strips 350 of sponge material acting as shock absorbers.

The musical part may also be operated without transmission means, so that the striker tabs 2 engage directly with resilient metal tongues 36, capable of vibratory acoustic emission, mounted on a support 37.

The drive arrangement of the apparatus, in its simplest form of embodiment, comprises a crank having a handle 41, connected to a shaft 42 bearing a resilient bushing 43, held by a washer 44, in tangential frictional engagement with the outer edge of a cover 6 having the form of a flange of the roller 1. The diametral relation between the bushing 43 and flange 45 forms reducer means for reducing the operating speed.

According to other forms of embodiment, the drive source comprises a miniature electric motor fed by batteries which engages with the roller 1 in a similar way to the above described case.

The apparatus comprises a frame formed by side walls 51 connected together by cross members 52 situated at the ends and at the middle of said walls; the centre cross member contains a further shock absorber strip 53 for the hammers 23.- The shafts 15 of the roller 1, shaft 31 of hammers 23, support plate 35 and a further decorative front plate 54 rest on said walls 51.

The operation of the apparatus, according to the graphic example shown by the unit in FIG. 6, is as follows. When the crank 40 is turned, the movement is transmitted at reduced speed to the roller 1 by the frictional engagement of the resilient bushing 43 and flange 45 of one cover of the cylindrical body 5, so that said roller 1 revolves in the operative direction, whereby its striker tabs 2 successively come into contact with the hammers 23 when the latter are struck at their rear portion 30.

The impacts received by hammers 23 through striker tabs 2 are converted into rocking movements by shaft 31 in such a way that, on falling, they strike the relative acoustic sheet 33 which produces the convenient sound.

With the positions of striker tabs 2 being correctly arranged according to a given musical composition, the result is that, as roller 1 turns, there is caused the harmonic musical emission corresponding to a fragment of said composition.

By varying the position of the striker tabs 2, the musical composition is also varied, this being possible by following the instructions enclosed with the apparatus.

As has been indicated, the striker tabs 2 have, apart from the fixed operative position, a fold down position which allows the roller 1 to be reversed, either to cancel the musical composition or to achieve free reversing of the roller, or to avoid damage to the system when the roller 1 is incorrectly turned contrary to the normal direction. Thus, when said reverse turning takes place, the striker tabs 2 engage the hammers 23 from underneath and, since these can rock only slightly, a state of thrust is created which is finally overcome by the tilting of the striker tab 2 which, thereby, becomes free to continue turning.

The possibility of obtaining non operative areas for the striker tabs 2, either between the reference lines 4 or at side portions of the cylindrical body 5, is foreseen, for placement of the striker tabs which are not to be used in any given musical composition.

Bearing in mind that the apparatus has been conceived for use by children, it is designed with a view to facilitating its use and to its being highly attractive to the child user, whereby the appearance of this apparatus will have suitable colouring and presentation means, as also the pleasant development of specially chosen musical pieces.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for the operation of toy musical instruments of the type including a rotatable cylindrical body having operative and inoperative directions of rotations about its longitudinal axis, comprising; a plurality of parallel spaced guides mounted about the cylindrical surface of said body and extending generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof; a plurality of striker tabs, at least one of said striker tabs being slidingly mounted on each of said guides; a plurality of reference lines extending about the cylindrical surface of said body in intersecting relationship with said guides; a plurality of acoustic members positioned in proximity to said striker tabs for association therewith; and means for imparting rotation to said cylindrical body, said striker tabs being positioned along said guides at predetermined operative positions intersected by said reference lines, whereby rotation of said cylindrical body in its operative direction of rotation imparts rotative motion to said striker tabs so as to cause the latter to actuate said acoustic members in a predetermined sequence.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guides comprise striker bar mounting means disposed exteriorly of the rotatable cylindrical body.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cylindrical body comprises cover plates at each end thereof, said mounting means each comprising a generally rigid rod member of circular cross section, said rod members extending between and being fastened to said cover plates.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guides each comprises a continuous axial groove of circular cross section in the wall of said cylindrical body, each groove being adapted to receive at least one of said striker tabs whereby the latter extends radially outwardly of said body.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprise external grooves in the surface of said cylindrical body, said grooves extending peripherally about said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprise continuous lines extending about the exterior peripheral surface of said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprises continuous raised portions extending about the exterior peripheral surface of said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said striker tabs are adapted to be moved alternatively into operative and inoperative positions in response to the direction of rotation of said cylindrical body, said striker tabs each comprising a member having a right-angled triangular configuration, the right-angled corner being rounded and one of the arms of the right angle being longer than the other, an orifice extending through said member adjacent said rounded corner, said guide rod member extending through said orifice in frictional engagement with said striker tab, said orifice including a longitudinal groove for engagement with said rod member, said Ann-- striker tab in its operative position having the longer arm en gaging said acoustic element while the edge of the shorter arm forms a stop restraining pivotal motion of said tab about the rod member, and said striker tab in its inoperative position being pivoted about the rod member so that the hypotenuse of said right triangle engages the acoustic elements.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said striker tabs are adapted to be moved alternatively into operative and inoperative positions in response to the direction of rotation of said cylindrical body, said striker tabs each comprising an actuating finger extending radially outwardly of saidcylindrical body and adapted to engage an associated acoustic member, said finger having a cylindrical end portion pivotably positioned in said groove in frictional engagement therewith, said tab being movable between the edges of said groove so as to be in said alternative operative and inoperative positions relative to said acoustic member.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cover plates include enlarged flange portions adapted to be frictionally engaged by a resilient bushing of said rotation imparting means; a stationary frame comprising side and cross members; rotatable shafts for said cover plates rotatably joumaled on said frame; support plate means on said side members for supporting said acoustic members, and hammer means pivotably supported on said frame for transmitting the action of said striker tabs to said acoustic members. 

1. Apparatus for the operation of toy musical instruments of the type including a rotatable cylindrical body having operative and inoperative directions of rotations about its longitudinal axis, comprising; a plurality of parallel spaced guides mounted about the cylindrical surface of said body and extending generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof; a plurality of striker tabs, at least one of said striker tabs being slidingly mounted on each of said guides; a plurality of reference lines extending about the cylindrical surface of said body in intersecting relationship with said guides; a plurality of acoustic members positioned in proximity to said striker tabs for association therewith; and means for imparting rotation to said cylindrical body, said striker tabs being positioned along said guides at predetermined operative positions intersected by said reference lines, whereby rotation of said cylindrical body in its operative direction of rotation imparts rotative motion to said striker tabs so as to cause the latter to actuate said acoustic members in a predetermined sequence.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guides comprise striker bar mounting means disposed exteriorly of the rotatable cylindrical body.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cylindrical body comprises cover plates at each end thereof, said mounting means each comprising a generally rigid rod member of circular cross section, said rod members extending between and being fastened to said cover plates.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guides each comprises a continuous axial groove of circular cross section in the wall of said cylindrical body, each groove being adapted to receive at least one of said striker tabs whereby the latter extends radially outwardly of said body.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprise external grooves in the surface of said cylindrical body, said grooves extending peripherally about said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprise continuous lines extending about the exterior peripheral surface of said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reference lines comprises continuous raised portions extending about the exterior peripheral surface of said cylindrical body generally transverse to said parallel guides.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said striker tabs are adapted to be moved alternatively into operative and inoperative positions in response to the direction of rotation of said cylindrical body, said striker tabs each comprising a member having a right-angled triangular configuration, the right-angled corner being rounded and one of the arms of the right angle being longer than the other, an orifice extending through said member adjacent said rounded corner, said guide rod member extending through said orifice in frictional engagement with said striker tab, said orifice including a longitudinal groove for engagement with said rod member, said striker tab in its operative position having the longer arm engaging said acoustic element while the edge of the shorter arm forms a stop restraining pivotal motion of said tab about the rod member, and said striker tab in its inoperative position being pivoted about the rod member so that the hypotenuse of said right triangle engages the acoustic elements.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said striker tabs are adapted to be moved alternatively into operative and inoperative positions in response to the direction of rotation of said cylindrical body, said striker tabs each comprising an actuating finger extending radially outwardly of said cylindrical bodY and adapted to engage an associated acoustic member, said finger having a cylindrical end portion pivotably positioned in said groove in frictional engagement therewith, said tab being movable between the edges of said groove so as to be in said alternative operative and inoperative positions relative to said acoustic member.
 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cover plates include enlarged flange portions adapted to be frictionally engaged by a resilient bushing of said rotation imparting means; a stationary frame comprising side and cross members; rotatable shafts for said cover plates rotatably journaled on said frame; support plate means on said side members for supporting said acoustic members, and hammer means pivotably supported on said frame for transmitting the action of said striker tabs to said acoustic members. 